Police rescue 10-year-old boy stuffed in sack, two suspects arrested

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One of the suspects

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By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto

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The Sokoto State Police Command has on Wednesday intensified its crackdown on kidnapping and other violent crimes, recording major breakthroughs in separate intelligence-led operations that led to the arrest of two suspected kidnappers and the dramatic rescue of a 10-year-old boy abducted in Tangaza Local Government Area.

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The operations, according to the Command, underscore its renewed determination to dismantle criminal networks terrorising communities across the state and deny kidnappers the freedom to operate with impunity.

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In the first operation, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on credible intelligence, stormed a suspected criminal hideout at Tudun Doki Village in Gwadabawa Local Government Area at about 2:00 pm on August 8, 2026.
The operation resulted in the arrest of a suspected notorious kidnapper identified as Abdullahi Buba, popularly known as “Osho.”

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Police authorities said preliminary interrogation revealed that Buba was allegedly a key member of a criminal syndicate linked to a series of kidnapping operations and the illegal imposition of levies on residents in Gwadabawa, Kware and Gada local government areas.

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According to the Command, the suspect is currently providing investigators with useful intelligence that could lead to the arrest of other syndicate members who are still at large.

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The Police said efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing members of the gang and completely dismantle the network allegedly responsible for terrorising innocent communities.

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In a separate operation that demonstrated the dangers faced by vulnerable residents, especially children, detectives attached to the Gidan Madi Police Division in Tangaza LGA rescued a 10-year-old boy, Muhammad Sufiyanu, who had reportedly been abducted earlier in the day.

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The incident began when Sani Ibrahim of Gidan Madi Town reported at the Gidan Madi Police Station at about 8:00 pm on August 11 that his 10-year-old nephew had gone missing since the afternoon.

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Acting swiftly on the report, surveillance detectives, accompanied by the complainant, mounted operations in the area and, at about 11:00 pm, intercepted two persons travelling on a motorcycle while carrying a suspiciously concealed sack.

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The suspects reportedly took to their heels when challenged by the detectives, triggering a pursuit. In their desperate attempt to escape, they abandoned the sack and fled.

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A search of the abandoned sack produced a shocking discovery: the missing 10-year-old boy was inside, alive and responsive.

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The rescued child was immediately taken to Gidan Madi General Hospital, where he received medical attention and was subsequently discharged.

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During preliminary investigation, the victim reportedly told the police that one of the suspects lured him into a room, injected him with a sedative and subsequently forced him into the sack before attempting to transport him away.
One of the suspects has since been arrested in connection with the abduction and, according to the police, has confessed to his involvement in the crime.

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Crime Scene Investigators have also visited the location connected with the incident as the Command intensifies efforts to establish the full circumstances surrounding the attempted abduction and apprehend any other persons involved.

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Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State Command, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, commended the officers and detectives involved in the operations for their courage, vigilance and professional response.

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Shaffa assured residents that the Command would continue to deploy intelligence-led policing and other operational strategies to protect lives and property, while warning criminal elements that the police would relentlessly pursue them wherever they hide.

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He also urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and credible information capable of assisting in the identification, tracking and arrest of criminal suspects.

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The Command said investigations into both cases remain ongoing, with further updates to be released as new developments emerge.

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